A&M picks up pace to rout Savannah St. despite key absences
COLLEGE STATION — Texas A&M coach Billy Kennedy pledged the overhauled Aggies would get up and down the court unlike they have in recent seasons. At least one game in, Kennedy has lived up to his campaign promise.
The Aggies rolled over Savannah State 98-83 on Wednesday night at Reed Arena in the teams’ season opener.
The Aggies played without starting guards Admon Gilder (hamstring, knee) and Wendell Mitchell (tendinitis), but the injuries are not serious. The senior Gilder is the team’s unquestioned leader and top defender, and the junior Mitchell is a transfer from Trinity Valley Community College who spent his first two years at Baylor (including a redshirt).
Forward Savion Flagg of Alvin led all scorers with 24 points (10 of 14 from the field), and fellow sophomore T.J. Starks added 16. In all six Aggies scored at least nine points.
SSU led the nation last season in 3-pointers per game with 12.2, but just like last season the Tigers were no match for the Aggies, who also beat SSU 113-66 nearly a year ago in Reed.
A&M, which made the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament last season for the second time in three years, has undergone a massive transition without big men Robert Williams, Tyler Davis, Tonny Trocha-Morelos and D.J. Hogg from last season’s roster. The Aggies host Cal Irvine on Friday night before playing at No. 3 Gonzaga on Nov. 15.
TCU 66 CAL STATE BAKERSFIELD 61
Desmond Bane scored 13 of his 14 points after halftime when the No. 20 Horned Frogs rallied for a victory at Fort Worth.
Bane's tiebreaking driving layup with 2:48 left finally put TCU ahead to stay. The Horned Frogs trailed by as many as 11 points before halftime.
TCU played an opener as a ranked team for the first time in 20 seasons, since 1998-99. That was after the Horned Frogs had gone to the 1998 NCAA Tournament, their last one before making it last March in the second season for coach Jamie Dixon at his alma mater.
Bane, who also had 10 rebounds, and Alex Robinson (12 points, nine assists) each had five points in a 19-6 run in the second half that pushed TCU ahead at 49-47.
ARIZONA 90 HOUSTON BAPTIST 60
Cold shooting from the outside doomed the Huskies in their season opener at Tucson, Ariz.
HBU held up on the inside but struggled from the perimeter, going 5 for 21 from the 3-point arc while shooting 32 percent overall.
Jalon Gates led the Huskies, who trailed by nine at halftime, with 12 points. Josh Ibarra, HBU’s 6-11 senior center, was unable to play due to a leg injury.
Brandon Randolph scored 25 points for Arizona.
Women TEXAS A&M 65, RICE 54
Chennedy Carter scored 22 points, Aaliyah Wilson and Kayla Wells combined for 34 and the No. 20 Aggies defeated the Owls4 in the season opener for both teams at College Station.
Carter, last season's national freshman of the year, opened the scoring with a tip-in and scored the last four points from the foul line in a 13-1 start.
Carter had 14 points and Wilson scored 11 of her 18 points in the first half that ended with the Aggies on top 28-18. Rice got back within three with 2 1/2 minutes left in the third quarter, but Carter and Wells, who had 16 points, scored the final six points for some separation. A&M made 7 of 8 free throws in the fourth quarter to preserve the win.
Erica Ogwumike led the Owls with 12 points but was only 3 of 11 from the field. Nicole Iademarco added 11 points.
Rice struggled from the field, hitting 38.6 percent of its shots.